Diplomate, Board Certification of Emergency
Medicine
Another letter asks me to speak about stomach gas. I am
speaking about burping. Burping can be caused by ingesting
air, such as in those who eat too fast or drink carbonated
drinks. However, gas can also be caused by certain foods and
is a result from bacteria metabolizing those foods.
Some people, myself included, have a lot of gas from many
food groups. Beans are the most notorious (yes, my
cholent does not have beans), but also fatty foods and
eggs.
Heartburn can also be caused by hard-to-digest foods,
although heartburn can also be a sign of heart trouble -- so
be careful. Antacids work the fastest, and medications that
lower the acidity of the stomach work as well. Many natural
remedies have been tried for this problem, but none are too
successful.
Zinc has been touted for the use in colds, but this theory
has been largely discarded and too much zinc is poisonous.
Magnesium is a laxative, and can accumulate in toxic amounts
in those with kidney failure. Leave metals alone. Someone
recently touted chromium, but this is one of the most
dangerous metals if taken in excess.
Chicken pox is a virus that does run and hide in the body and
can come back many years later as shingles or as doctors call
it: Zoster. It can cause a severe itch and a painful rash,
and the pain can persist even after the rash disappears. The
rash is infectious to those who never had chicken pox; it is
still early to say whether the vaccine protects also against
this, but it is thought to help.
Last question: there is no danger from hypnosis that I know
about, but true hypnosis is a rare find. The question is why
you need it? Write me in care of the Yated.
A message from GlaxoSmithKline, sponsor of this
column. Well, we discussed chicken pox, and the vaccine
is a Glaxo product and it works. There are some cases of
chicken pox even with the vaccine, but much milder. Save
yourself the trouble and problems of chicken pox in your
kids: vaccinate them.
